Shen Yunjiao forced a smile and replied dryly, "It's just a casual chat, Rong'er. Why don't you turn around and see who's standing behind you?"
Jiang Rong turned around and saw that the man standing there was her cousin whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Cousin? What are you doing here?" Jiang Rong asked, half surprised and half uncomfortable.
"I originally came here to buy some fruit wine." Pei Zhixuan's gaze was half on Shen Yunjiao's face. He paused and then said, "I was invited by His Highness and Prince Yan, General Yao, to have a meal together."
Xiao Huaijin glanced at Pei Zhixuan, then smiled casually and said, "Don't stand there, take a seat."
As the crown prince, he would naturally sit at the head table.
But he wanted to sit with Shen Yunjiao.
With his hands behind his back, Xiao Huaijin secretly tugged at Shen Yunjiao's arm, pulling her to his side, where no one could see him.
Shen Yunjiao was startled at first, but then had no choice but to quickly sit down next to him.
Pei Zhixuan considered himself Shen Yunjiao's husband, so he sat down next to her with a straight face.
Yan Shiman gave the three of them a strange look, but dared not say a word.
Shen Yunjiao was completely stunned. What had she done wrong that God was punishing her like this, placing the two most difficult men on either side of her.
After Jiang Rong and Yao Zhan sat down together, they did not communicate at all.
Fortunately, Yao Zhan, though seemingly rigid and serious, was quite caring. He kept piling food into Jiang Rong's bowl, as if afraid she wasn't eating enough, until the food and meat were piled up like a small mountain.
Shen Yunjiao couldn't help but chuckle. She hadn't expected a pair of chopsticks to suddenly appear in her bowl, holding a piece of crystal-clear sweet lotus root.
With a thud, the sweet lotus root rolled into Shen Yunjiao's rice bowl.
She turned her head in surprise and saw Pei Zhixuan pursing his lips and saying in a low voice, "This is your favorite food. Eat more. You've lost weight recently."
This gentle and tender tone was completely unlike what Pei Zhixuan would say.
Jiang Rong glanced at her cousin in surprise, then gave Shen Yunjiao a meaningful look.
At this moment, Shen Yunjiao had no energy to care about that little girl Jiang Rong. Her gaze inadvertently swept over Xiao Huaijin, only to find him casually touching the teacup on the table and drinking it all in one gulp, his eyes filled with desolation and gloom.
I'm going to die, this meal is going to be so unbearable.
Shen Yunjiao felt like she couldn't breathe. She gently placed the bowl and chopsticks on the table and said softly, "I'm sorry, everyone. I suddenly remembered that I have to go home for something."
She moved her chair and stood up, giving Jiang Rong a wink.
Jiang Rong understood immediately and stood up as well: "I've been out for quite a while, I should go home too."
Before anyone else could react, Shen Yunjiao practically fled in panic, grabbing Jiang Rong and leaving.
The private room was even more somber.
Yan Shiman was about to say something to lighten the mood when Pei Zhixuan asked, "May I ask why my wife is dining with His Highness and the other officials?"
Although his tone was calm, he sounded very tense.
Xiao Huaijin squinted and asked with a smile, "She's your wife, and you don't even know where she is?"
Pei Zhixuan suddenly looked up at Xiao Huaijin.
Xiao Huaijin's words clearly had a hidden meaning, but his composed attitude left Pei Zhixuan somewhat uncertain, so he could only purse his lips and tell the truth: "Recently, I had a dispute with my wife over some trivial matters at home, and she is no longer living in the Pei residence."
Yao Zhan, who had been listening quietly, spoke up at this moment: "Brother Pei, don't be anxious. Today, the Crown Princess accompanied Miss Jiang to see me, and we just happened to have a meal at the restaurant."
Pei Zhixuan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
He glanced longingly at the doorway.
Xiao Huaijin gently bit a piece of white jade cake, but a hint of mockery rose in his eyes.
Pei Zhixuan was the most ridiculous man he had ever met. He didn't cherish Shen Yunjiao when he had her, and now that he had bullied her enough, he came to everyone to pretend to be affectionate.
"Your Highness has just married another beautiful bride, why are you already thinking about a new love?" Yan Shiman teased. He secretly glanced at Xiao Huaijin and, seeing that his expression was as usual, said with a smile, "I heard that the girl Your Highness married this time is a princess personally appointed by the emperor. She has a noble status and is not someone that just anyone can aspire to."
Pei Zhixuan's eyelashes trembled slightly, but he did not respond.
Instead, Yao Zhan, who was sitting next to him, frowned and asked, "Now that you mention it, marrying a princess will definitely require some careful consideration."
Yao Zhan thought to himself that he should earn more military merits so that Jiang Rong could marry him in a grand and glorious way.
He looked at Xiao Huaijin and said solemnly, "If Dayong goes to war with the Northern Hu, I am willing to follow Your Highness to annihilate the enemy and quell the rebellion."
Among those present, even Pei Zhixuan was under Xiao Huaijin's command. They knew that if they weren't careful, the Northern Hu's visit could easily be used as a pretext for war between the two countries.
Although Emperor Zhaowu did not advocate war, if the Northern Hu continued to harass the border, how could Dayong sit idly by?
Xiao Huaijin nodded without saying much, but Yan Shiman hesitated and said, "What if the Southern Yue and the Northern Hu join forces to deal with Dayong?"
“No, it won’t,” Pei Zhixuan suddenly replied.
Yan Shiman said in a low voice, "How do you know? I think Nan Yue has been recruiting soldiers and horses in its territory recently, probably to declare war on Dayong."
“Nan Yue and Dayong are neighbors, and the Northern Hu are much stronger than Nan Yue. Nan Yue naturally knows how to use Dayong as an external wall to defend against the invasion of the Northern Hu. This is the principle of ‘if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold’,” Pei Zhixuan said slowly after pouring a bowl of tea for the Crown Prince.
"Furthermore, I have heard that the currently favored Consort Shu is also a member of the Nanyue tribe." Pei Zhixuan paused for a moment, and only after seeing that Xiao Huaijin did not speak up to stop him did he slowly say, "Nanyue should now be thinking about forming an alliance with Dayong."
"Your Highness Pei has truly insightful views." Xiao Huaijin clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Your Highness has a thorough understanding of the national situation, and I am very satisfied."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Pei Zhixuan said, neither humble nor arrogant.
The four chatted over several jugs of sweet wine for about half an hour before Xiao Huaijin stood up and said, "I must return to the palace now. You may continue."
After saying this, Xiao Huaijin gracefully departed.
The remaining three had become somewhat acquainted after their earlier toasts. Yan Shiman, being a man of good manners, had drunk quite a bit and was now a little tipsy, yet he insisted on continuing to drink and chat with the other two.
Pei Zhixuan lowered his eyes, planning to have Ping An take the fruit wine from Ziyunlou and the pastries from Haoweizhai to Shen Yunjiao later.
He came to Ziyun Tower today for that newly brewed fruit wine; Shen Yunjiao should like its sweet taste.
If only I had the chance to drink with her, how wonderful that would be?
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